Manual rotator for antenna



Aug. 18, 1959 Filed March 6, 1956 W. C. SCHWEIM MANUAL ROTATOR FOR ANTENNA 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 5 I? If ll' 5/ l 3a l P Walter C. Schweim INVENTOR.

BY Mm MM 3m Patented- Aug; 18, 1-959 MANUAL ROTATOR FOR ANTENNA Walter C. Schweim, Mankato, Minn.

Application March 6, 1956, Serial No. 569,905 4 Claims. 01. 248-45) This invention relates to a construction of rotationally/ adjustable antennae and particularly to a novel, simple antenna that is manually adjustable.

At the present time there are commercially available various types of adjustable antennae. They are, for the most part, motor operated or otherwise complicated in 7 ing 24. The lower end of antenna mast is fitted in 'bearing 22 thereby mounting it for rotation inasmuch in its mounting structure -to compensate for various pitches of roofs'so that the antenna mast is always maintained vertical.

A further object of the invention is to provide a positive drive for the antenna which is mechanically simplified in that only very small holes are required in'the roof for the passage of the controls through the roof, or the controls, being lightweight cable or rope may pass down the roof, over suitable guides, as pulleys into a window.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide an improved mounting structure for a rotary mast of a television antenna, the mounting structure including a pair of brackets that hold a bearing in the vertical position so as to properly support the antenna mast, these brackets also doubling as means to retain the cable guiding tubes or sheaths and functioning to hold the bearing steady by being on opposite sides of it.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view of a building, for example a dwelling, on which an antenna that has been made in accordance with the invention, is located;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the mounting bracket structure for the antenna mast; and

v Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 2.

In the drawings a typical building 10 is fragmentarily shown. which the antenna 12 may be mounted. The building includes a roof 14 that constitutes the surface on which the antenna is mounted for rotation. It has an ordinary type of covering thereon. Ceiling 16 is hung from the ceiling rafters 18 in the usual manner.

Antenna 12 includes mast 20 whose lower end is mounted for rotation. A bearing 22 is made in the form of a sleeve having a closed bottom in which there is an open- This building exemplifies merely one type on as the bearing has a peripheral groove 26 near its bottom wall in which bolts 28 and 30 project. Bearing 22 is disposed in an upwardly opening socket 32, the latter having a pair of aligned openings in which bolts 28 and 30 are threaded. A resilient shield 36 is formed with an opening in which bearing 22 is fitted, the shield overlying the socket 32 and adjacent structure in order to prevent moisture from entering the socket.

There are a pair of brackets 38 and 40 respectively that are adapted to be mountedon the-supporting surface for the antenna, roof 14 in the illustrated instance. Each bracket has its bolt 28 and 30 respectively passed therethrough so that socket 32 is attached to the mounting brackets to thereby ultimately support the antenna mast 20 in the vertical position. Bracket 40 has its front end bolted or otherwise fastened to an angle 42, the latter being fastened to the roof 14. The corresponding end of bracket 38 is attached to angle 44 thereby mounting it on roof 14. The parts ofbrackets 38 and 40 adjacent to the angles 42 and 44 are arched both for strength of construction and to elevate socket 32 from the roof surface. Near the rear ends of each bracket there is an offset, there being offsets 46 and 48 in brackets 40 and 38 respectively so that the rear ends of the brackets diverge slightly. Adjustment means for the brackets support are attached to the individual brackets. These mounts comprise for each bracket a link- 56 having one end pivotally connected to its bracket by one of the bolts. For examplellink 50 is attached to bracket 40 by means of bolt 30; An angle-52 is pivotally attached to the opposite end of link 50 and is adapted to be anchored on the roof surface 14. By adjustment of the'link 50 with respect to its bracket'the angularity of the bracket 40 with respect to the surface of the roof 14 may be selectively regulated. Accordingly, the antenna mast may be always mounted in the vertical position regardless of the roof pitch by adjusting the angularity of the mountingbrackets 38 and 40 through the use of links 50*.

There are means operatively connected with the antenna mast 20 for rotating that mast from a location remote from the mast. The preferred means comprise a pulley 60 that is aifixed to the antenna mast 20, as by the use of a set screw 62 in a collar on the pulley 60. An elongated, flexible member such as a cable 64, rope or the like is wrapped around the pulley 20 and has its ends passed through a pair of flexible sheaths or tubes 66 and 68 respectively. Tube 66 is attached at one end by a clamp 70, the latter having an approximately cylindrical part accommodating the tube 66 and having a pair of plates which are riveted or otherwise attached to the inner end of mounting bracket 38. A similar clamp 74 holds tube 68 in place at the inner end of bracket 40. The tubes are passed through openings in the roof 14 and it is preferred that these openings house a pair of grommets 78 and 80 which makes them watertight and provides a tight passage for each of the tubes 68 and 70. A connecting rib 82 is attached to each of the grommets and is adapted to rest on the bottom surfaceof roof 14. Tubes 66 and 68 are preferably flexible as by being made of a plastic material and they have bells 84 and 85 at their inner ends, the latter fitting over guides 86 and 87 and being attached thereto by a suitable expedient, as by being cemented or by set screws or an 3 movement being imparted to rotary movement of the pulley 61 which in turn rotates the antenna mast 26.

An antenna lead 94 is passed through an opening in the roof 14, the latter having a grommet 94 tightly fitted therein with a passageway in the center of the grommet. This passageway has the antenna lead 94 passed therethrough for operative connection to the antenna 26. Sulficient slack is left in the antenna lead between the root 14 and the antenna mast to allow the antenna to be rotated an ample distance without tangling the lead.

In operation, after the antenna is mounted on the root 14 or some other supporting surface, and the cable 64 is brought into the enclosing structure, as building it), pulling on either end of the rope or the weights and 92 causes a corresponding rotational movement of the antenna mast 2d. Therefore if a signal on a television set is considered attenuated too severely, the mast 2%) is rotated to the point where the signal is stronger. This is accomplished by merely pulling one end of the cable so that it slides through the completely Weatherprooied guide and sheath or tube system and imparts a rotary motion to the pulley 60.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

Whatis claimed as new is as follows:

1. In a rotatably adjusted antenna that has a mast, an upwardly opening bearing in which the mast is mounted for rotation, a pulley attached to said mast and mounted above said bearing, a socket in which said bearing is disposed, a pair of brackets attached on opposite sides of said socket, means for anchoring one pair of ends of said brackets, adjustable means attached to said socket and said brackets between the ends of said brackets in order to further anchor said brackets, a flexible member attached to said pulley in order to rotate said pulley,

and means for guiding said flexible member to a remote location so that the ends thereof may be pulled in order to rotate said pulley and thereby rotate said mast.

2. In a rotatably adjusted antenna that has a mast, an upwardly opening bearing in which the mast is mounted for rotation, a pulley attached to said mast and mounted above said bearing, a socket in which said bearing is disposed, a pair of brackets attached on opposite sides of said socket, means for anchoring one pair of ends of said brackets, adjustable means attached to said socket and said brackets between the ends of said brackets in order to further anchor said brackets, a flexible member attached to said pulley in order to rotate said pulley, means for guiding said flexible member to a remote location so that the ends thereof may be pulled in order to rotate said pulley and thereby rotate said most, said guiding means including a pair of tubes, means fastening one pair of ends of said tubes to said brackets, and means for anchoring the opposite ends of said tubes.

3. The subject matter defined in claim 2 wherein there is a pair of grommets through which said tubes pass in order to mount said tubes and also to make Weatherproof the passage of said tubes through the supporting surface on which the brackets are mounted.

4. The combination of claim 1 together with means for shielding the junction of said socket with said bearing to prevent moisture from entering between said socket and said bearing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,672,625 Rose June 5, 1928 1,732,690 Marsteller Oct. 22, 1929 1,744,548 Hershey Jan. 31, 1930 2,727,404 Gray Dec. 20, 1955 2,767,240 Webster et al. Oct. 16, 1956 

